Toy.



W. A. COVENTRY.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.20, I917.

Patented A11 14; 1917'.

mmsm

n spans rn'r prion.

WILLIAM A. COVENTRY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GREY IRON CASTING COMPANY, OF MOUNT JOY, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVAN IA.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 ML, 1917.

Application filed March 20, 1917. Serial No. 156,138.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. Cov- ENTRY, citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to toys and more especially to toys of the type comprising individual pieces adapted to be arranged in orderly groups.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision; of groups of toy soldiers' comprising diminutive figures provided with means to associate the figures with individual backgrounds for each group of figures.

A further object of the present invention comprises the provision of movable individual toy soldiers provided with bases adaptable to support individual figures and constructed to cooperate with a support secured to said background representing a suitable scene for military maneuvers.

A further object of the present invention comprises the provision of groups of toy soldiers in various attitudes of drill, which groups are adapted to be associated with individual topographical scenes whereby the groups and scenes may be associated together to form a complete military display.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a card carrying the representation of a drill field, which card is attached to a strip adapted to receive and retain bases of diminutive metallic toy soldiers whereby the weight of the toy soldiers renders the strip stable to sustain the card carrying the representation of the drill field as a background.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are represented by like characters throughout the several views thereof.

Figure 1 is a view illustrating one type the base of the figures to the support for the background.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the background and the base support therefor and illustrating the relation of the toy figure to these parts; also showing the fact that the figures are finished on both front and back.

Fig. 4 is a detail View of one of the toy soldiers.

Fig. 5 illustrates the association of several backgrounds and several groups of toy soldiers.

Toy soldiers of various types have long since been popular toys and have included many variations. The topography of a drill field or battle field is of importance to enable the toys to be maneuvered in a representative manner and provides a much more realistic and attractive toy where the representation of a scene may be associated with a group of toy soldiers. To this end the present invention resides more particularly in providing toy soldiers which may be formed of individually movable units that are adapted to be associated with a suitable movable background in such manner that the entire organization and background may be maneuvered as a unit to form various combinations. The figures are also preferably formed with bases whereby the fig ures may be removed from immediate association with the background and maneuvered in front of the representation of the drill field.

Referring more particularly to the draw lngs, toy figures 1 are preferably completed on each side (see Fig. 3) so that when either side or the front of a figure is adjacent the observer a simulation of a soldier figure is apparent. These figures are provided with integral bases 2 which are of sufficient size and weight to sustain the figures when placed upon a fiat surface. In order to form a more realistic military scene and to permit groups of the toy soldiers to be maneuvered as entities a supporting strip 4 which may be formed of various materials is provided with an undercut groove 5 of a suitable width to receive and retain the bases 2 of individual figures. A suitable topographical scene 6 is represented on card board or other suitable material and preferably is secured 'to one edge of the supporting strip 4. It

therefore will be seen that the individual toy soldiers or figures may be placed before the scene 6 by sliding the bases 2 into the groove 5, and in this Way various military units, such as companies, may be assembled before the topographical scene and the entire. organization maneuvered as a unit. Since both sides of the figures are suitably finished the figures may be assembled before the scene to indicate either an advance or retreat of the troops.

Realizing that the present invention may be embodied in a' physical combination of structures other than the specific constructions illustrated, I desire it to be understood that the disclosure herewith is illustrative and not to be understood in the limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention What I claim is v 1. In a toy of the character described the combination of a supporting strip provided with a suitable groove, figures provided With bases constructed to fit in said groove Whereby a plurality of figures may be assembled Within said strip, and a representation of a suitable scene carried by said strip and back of said groove whereby the said figures may be mounted as maneuvering in the foreground of the said scene.

2. In a toy of the character described the combination of a supporting base comprising a longitudinally extending member, interlocking means provided on said supporting base, diminutive figures, another interlocking means provided on each of the said figures and adapted to cooperate With the interlocking means on said supporting base, and a background comprising a suitable scene harmonizing with the character of the figures adapted to be assembled on said supporting base.

3. In a toy of the character described in combination, groups of diminutive figures, each figure of a group representing a Inember of a military organization, means to support said groups as units, suitable backgrounds tor said groups and secured to the supporting means, said backgrounds being complemental to enable the various groups to be assembled to provide military display.

i. A suitable background comprising a relatively fiatlnember extending vertically and including a scene representing a drill ground, a base to which said background is secured and adapted to maintain said background in vertical relation, and relatively heavy individual toy figures constructed to be set upon said base to form military units, whereby the Weight of said figures stabilizes said base to retain said background upright WVILLIAM A. COVENTRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington,,D. 0.. 

